Liquid-meter.



No. 848,704. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. W. THOMSON, R. BLAKISTON, W. HOPE z G. B. RICHARDS. LIQUID METER.

APPLICATION FILD APR.16,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 848,704. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907. W. THOMSON, R. BLAKISTON, W. HOPE E O. R. RIOEARDS. LIQUID METER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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Q EMM @www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM THOMSON, OF LARGS, SCOTLAND, AND RALPH BLAKISTON,

WILLIAM HOPE, AND GEORGE BEAUFORT RICHARDS, .OF LIVER- POOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGN ORS TO THE PALATINE ENGINEERING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

LIQUID-METER'.k

`Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

" Applicationneaiprn16,1906. Seriana 312,015.

'Subjects of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Meters, of which the follow- 1n is a specification.

his invention relates toliquid-meters of the class in "which the flow of liquid is meas- .ured .by the movement of a disk or other body (which in this specication will be termed Iimpact members)' in a tapered pipe against the resistance of a weight or spring. The well-known Deacon meter is a good example ofthe type. Such meters have hitherto generally been vertical; but this is very inconvenient for large or shallow mains, besides having the disadvantage that the direction of the whole of the water passminimum of friction.

ing throughthe meter must be changed from horizontal to vertical and then b ack 'again to horizontal.

This invention has for its object toprovide means whereby such meters can be madeto work horizontally and to provide certain details ofconstruction which are applicable also to vertical meters; A

According to this invention the weight of the impact member is counterbalanced internally, so that it moves on its guide with a This can be done either-by making the impact member of the same specificgravity as the liquid, or preferably in the manner hereinafter described. In order also to present the formation of eddies in 'the liquid, the impact member is made in the form of a double cone. It isimportant that the form and construction of the impact membershould be such that its center of gravity and center of buoyancy should be in the same vertical line.

Figure 1 isa vertical. section, and Fig. .2 a horizontal section, of the lower part of a' meter constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a part rear elevation, and Fig. 4 is a plan, of a detail to a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a plan, and Fig. 6 an elevation, of the upper part of the meter. Figs. 7, 7X, and 7 are a local side elevation, plan, and front elevation, to a larger scale, of the recording mechanism. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of impact member.

1 is the body of the meter, and 2 is the impact member in its zero position, in which -its greatest diameter iillsthe smaller end 3 of the tapered waterway, hereinafter ycalled the cone. i

4 is the wide end of the cone proper, and 5 is the end of a trumpet-mouthed extension.

6 is the counterbalance-weight to resist the movement of the impact member. Itis connected to it by the cord .7, passing over the pulley, 8. When al maximum flow occurs,

the impact memberv takes the extreme position. (Shown by dotted lines.) In this position the impact member is beyond the cone proper. All ordinary and usual quantities of water are gaged between the impact member vand the cone pro er, 3 4, while all extraordinary and' unusua quantities, such as result from fires or burst pipes, are ,gaged between the impact member and the trumpet-mouthed extension 4 5 thereof.-

Guide blades or vanes, with sharp edges fixed in the waterway, are shown at 10.

The coned fades of the impact member have two objects, the iirst being a reduction of fluid-friction by diminution of eddies, the

\ second being the provision of a'hollow form which may be floated or otherwise supported with but little friction while moving in th Waterway.

The impact member is supported on a pair of wheels 11, running on horizontal rods 12.

vThe position ofthe axis of the wheels is maintained in the' vertical line passing through the center of gravity ofthe impact Ioo pact member in water. In this ycondition the guiding of the impact member by means of the horizontal bars is as frictionless as 1f the impact member wereactually floating, v

with its center of buoyancy in the vertical line of the center of gravity, and the only additional friction is the very small amount due to the rolling of the wheels. A

We find that glass is probably the best material for bushing the ends of theirnpact member at 17 and 18; but vulcaniteand lignum-vitae also answer well.

This apparatus being within the impact member is protected from contact with the moving water and is therefore not affected by impurities inl the water tending to produce electrolytic action or oxidation or physical coating of the parts. It is important' that such apparatus should not be placed in the running stream and that frequent change of the water around it should be prevented.

Access is obtained to the interior of the impact member by separating the parts at the joint 19., f

We have pointed out the im ortance of avoiding the eddies due to the at sides of the impact member,4 and itis important to notice that such eddies are also set up by any unsymmetrical distribution of the velocities lin a cross-section of the meter, such as would .be produced by e'ccentr'icity of the disk and waterway or by the use of such a device as a Hap-valve instead of an object of circular section free to move concentrically in the circular section of a tapered waterway. y

In order to prevent shock caused by sudden opening of avalve or the bursting of a pi e, a flexible washer or spring 20|1sprovided., actin as a buffer between the impact member an the stop 21. Similarly, shock due to sudden closing is prevented by making the lower end or the whole of the vessel 22 in which the counterbalance-weight 6 rises and falls of very little larger diameter than the counterbalance-weight, so that the fall of the counterbalance-weight is retarded. A contraction for this purpose is shown-,at 23.

The mechanical means as above described for counterbalancing the weight and buoyancy of the impact member and thus preventing friction` may be replaced by other means so long as they are inside and not outside the impact 4member. Thus, as shown at Fig. 8, the impact member 2 may have a filling 2X of gutta-percha, india-rubber, or other sensibly incompressible substance insoluble in water and having a density less than unity, which may, in conjunction with the framework or casing of the impact member, be made equal in mean density to that of the water displaced. Care must of course be taken, as in the case of the wheel and spring suspension, that the center of buoyancy shall be in the same vertical line as the center of gravity of the combined mass.

24, Figs. 1 and 6, is a wire yconnecting the counterb alance-weight 6 to the recording and integratin mechanism.

The pul ey 8 is, as shown at Figs. 2 and 3, contained in a casing 26 very little thicker than the guide-vanes 10 and forming a rearward prolongation of one of them, so that it forms a very slight impediment in the waterway and does not interfere with the symmetrical ow of the water. casing 26 is in direct communication with the counterbalance-casi'ng 22. Thus the gear- The interior of the ing between the impact member and the counterbalance-weight and recording mechanism is, like the earwithin the impact member, protected om the effect, already referred to, of impurities in the water tending to produce electrolytic action or oxidation or Iphysical coating of the parts. It is desirab e to provide means for flushing out the casing in which .the whole of this gear is contained, and this may be done by means of the cock 27, which may discharge to waste.

The wire 24 passes out through a stuffingbox 28 and over the helical spiral or helicold 29 and is `kept taut bythe counterbalanceweight 30 acting through the cords 31 T he figure of the helicoid is such that any angular movement vthereof is in all positions proportional to the difference between the volume of water passing the impact member per unit of time at the beginning and end of that movement. Thus equal angular movements correspond with equal changes in the rate of flow through the meter.

The Wire 24 may itself be carried round the helicoid-29 or may be connected with a more flexible cord for that purpose, such as a strand-wire or a line4 ribbon or a chain. In' order to maintain the line of the wire outside the stuffing-box approximately inthe axis of the stufling-box, 1t is caused to pass over a guide-pull@T 33..

Between the cords 31 and 32 is interposed a trolley or carriage 34, running with two pulleys or rollers on a rail 35,`the third sup ort of which trolley is the integrating-wheep, having a sliding Imotion in the direction of its axis over a radius of the time-disk 37, driven at a constant speed by the friction-wheel 38 'and clockwork 39 with -its pendulum 40. The integrating-wheel 36 is shown resting upon the center of the time-disk 37, this being the zero position corresponding with the position of the impact member when no flow of water is taking lace. The horizontal cord passes over a pu ley 41, fixed u on and ,concentric with the helicoid 29, an theY angular movements of the helicoid and concentric pulley and the horizontal travel of the cord from their zero ositions are in virtue of the figure of the he icoid rendered proportional to the rate of liow of water through the meter.

In the particular meter illustrated each IOO IIO

revolution of the inte rating-wheel 36 reprel line, and a guide passing through the` impact sents one hundred t ousand gallons, fractions of which quantity are engraved on a drum 42, projecting from the wheel. The axle of the Wheel carries a worm 57, which by means of a pinion 58 drives a hand revolving on a counter-face 59, recording one million gallons for each revolution. A second counter-face 60 records ten million, and a third, 61, one hundred million gallons. The same trolley carries a marker, shown in the drawings to consist of a little vessel 62 to contain anilin dye, which passes vto the drum 43 through a capillary .Siphon-tube 44, the anithe cloc work 3'9' lin vessel being freely hung on a pivot 47 from a forked pedestal, 63on the trolley in such a manner that the center of gravity of the hanging portion may be changed Aby the adjustment ofthe Weighted screw at 45, so as to produce the slightest possible pressure against the revolving drum or diagram pa er. The drum 43 is iixed upon a spin` le 46. he marker may be adjusted. to the zero of the diagram by the milled head and ivot-screw 47 independently of the zero of t eintegrating-wheel,-which is adjusted by a screw up'on the trolley at 4S. The clockwork end 46 of the drum-spindle has fixed to it ashort hollow truncated cone at, 49, forming a frictioncouplin with the coned disk 50, driven by The spindle 46 also serves as a handle lor the convenient removal of the drum on loosening the clamping-screw 51 and turning the milled head 52. The end 53 of the spindle may then be lifted from` the forked bearing 54. Guards are provided,'at 55 and 56 to prevent the drum when being placed in position from striking theedisk or the trolley. These guards insure the vproper engagement of the friction-coupling when the drum is placed in )osition by hand andwhen pushed towardt e coupling 49 5.0 by turning the screw milled head 52.

What we claim isf- 1. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, andan impact member mounted to move inthe tapered portion of the pipe and having two coned faces and its center of gravity and its center of buoyancy in the same vertical line.

2. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impactmember in the pipe, and means inside the shell ofthe impact member for counterbalancing the dilference between its wei ht and buoyancy.

3. In a liqui -meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impact member having two coned faces in the pipe, and a guide passing through the impact member and on, which it moves.

- 4. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe having its center ot gravity and `rits center of buoyancy in the same vertical member and on which it moves.

5. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe,

' means inside the shell of the impact member.

for counterbalancing the difference between its weight and buoyancy, and a guide passing throuV h the impact member. v

6. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, a hollow impact member in the pipe, -a guide passing through the impact member, an arm pivoted inside the impact member, a roller carried by the arm and bearing on the guide, and a spring lixed in the impact member tending to force the roller against the guide.

7. In a llquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, an impact member having two coned faces mounted to move inv the tapered portion of the pipe, a counterbalance-weight tending to pull the impact member toward the narrower portion of the pipe, a vessel containing it, a line connecting the impact member to the counterbalance-weight, and a pulley over which the line passes.

8. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal, tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe having its center of gravity and its centerof buoyancy in the same vertical line, a counterbalance-weight, a vessel containing it and in which it lits closely, a line connecting the impact member to the counterbalance-weight, andv a pulley over which the line passes.

9. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe,

` means inside the shell of the impact member for counterbalancing the diierence between its weight and buoyancy, a counterbalanceweight, a vessel containing it, a line connecting the impact member to the counterbalance-weight, and a pulley over which the line passes.

IOO

tapered pipe, an impact' member having two coned faces 1n the pipe, a guide passing through the inipact member and on which it moves, a counterbalance-weight, a vessel containing it, a line connecting the impact member to the counterbalance-weight, and a pulley over which the line passes. r 11. In a liquid-meter, the combination of IIO ahorizontal tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe having its center of gravity and 'itscenter of buoyancy in the same vertical line, a guide passing through the impact member, a counterbalance-weight, a vessel containing it'and in which itiits closely, a line connecting the impact member to the cOunterbalance-weight, and a pulley over which the line passes.

12. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impact member in -the pipe, means inside the shell of the impact member for counterbalancing-the dierence I between its weight and buoyancy, a guide passing throughthe impact member, a counterbalance-Weight, avessel containing it, a line connecting the impact member to the counterbalance-Weight, and a pulley over which the line passes.

13. In a liquid-meter, the combination'of'- a-horizontaltapered pipe, a hollow impact member in the pipe, a guide passing through theimpact member, an arm pivoted inside member toward the narrower portion of the pipe, aclosed vessel containing'it, an indieating apparatus, a pair of lines connecting the counterbala'nce -weight`to the impact member'and to the indicating apparatus re-,

spectively, a pulley over which the first line passes, and al closed casing containing the pulley and the lines.

15. In a liquidwmeter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe having `its center of gravity and its centerl of buoyancy in the same vertical line, a counterbalance-Weight, a closed vessel containing it, an indicating apparatus, a pair of lines connecting the counterbalance-weight to-the impact member and to the indicating apparatus respectively, a pulley in the pipe over which the first line' asses, and a closed.

casing containing the pul ey and thelines.

16. In'a liquid-meter, the combination of a tapered pipe, an impact member in the pipe, means inside the shell of the impact member for counterbalancing 'the difference between its weight and buoyancy, a counterbalance-weight, a closed vessel containing it, an indicating apparatus, a pair of lines con necting the counterbalance-weight to the im.- pact member and to the indicating apparatus respectively, a pulley over which the firstV line passes, and a closed casing. containing the pulley andthe lines.

17. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, an impact member A having two coned faces mounted to move in the tapered portion of the pipe, a guide passing through 'the impact member, a counterbalance-weight tending to pull the impact its center of buoyancy in the same vertical line, a guide passing through the impact member and on which it moves, a counterbalance-weight, a closed vessel'containing it, an'.

indicating apparatus, a pair of linesconnecting the counterbalance-weight to the impact member and to the indicating. apparatus- -rep spectively, a pulley over which the first line passes, and a closed casing containingthe pulley and the lines.

19. In a liquid-meter, the combination of aV tapered pipe, an impact member inthe pipe, means inside the shell of the impact member for counterbalancing the difference between its Weight and buoyancy, a guide .passing4 through the impact member, a counterbalance-weight, a closed vessel containing it, an indicating apparatus, a pair of lines connecting the counterbalance-weight to the impact member and to the ,indicating apparatus respectively, a pulley over which the irst line passes, and a closed casing containing the pulley and the lines.

20. In a liquid-meter, the combination of a horizontal tapered pipe, a hollow impact member in the pipe, a guide passing through the impact member, an arm pivoted inside the impact member, a roller carried bythe arm and bearing on the guide, a spring iXed in the impact member tending to force the roller against the guide, a counterbalance- Weight, a closedvessel containing it, an indicating apparatus a pair of lines connecting the counterbalance-weight to the impact member and to the indicating apparatus respectively a pulley over which the first line passes, and a closed casingcontaining the pulley Aand the lines. m

WILLIAM THOMSON; (BARON KELVIN.) RALPH BLAKISTON. WILLIAM HORE. l GEORGE BEAUFORT RICHARDS. Witnesses to the signature of Lord'Kelvin:

MARTIN DEAooN, GEORGE GREEN.

IfWitnesses to the signatures of Ral h Blak- I iston,.William Hope, and George Richards: p

WM. PIERCE, A. WATSON.

eaufort' 

